Hundreds of Citizens Advice staff are being transferred to fellow charity Victim Support to deliver a flagship government-funded service.
Today, Victim Support announced that it had been awarded a £14m four-year grant by the Ministry of Justice to run the witness service from 1 April.
The charity said it is supporting the transition of about 250 staff and 2,000 volunteers from Citizens Advice to ensure that witnesses continue to receive support in all 224 court locations.
This marks the return of a flagship national service originally developed by Victim Support more than 30 years ago.
“We first established the witness service in the early 1990s to address a lack of support for people attending court,” Victim Support said.
“Since 2015, the service has been delivered by Citizens Advice. The grant follows Victim Support’s successful application to deliver the service.”
The service will ensure that witnesses can access free, confidential and trauma-informed support in every criminal court across England and Wales.
‘Major investment’ in witness support
Victim Support employed 1,234 people on average in the 12 months to March 2025 and received the vast majority of its £52.7m income that year from the government.
The charity said the new grant is “a major investment into witness support at a time when the justice system is under increasing pressure from long delays and an ever-rising backlog”.
It estimated that last year, the witness service, which helps people understand what to expect at court, supported 80,000 people.
The charity said it will introduce innovations to strengthen the service, including a panel of experts by experience and specialist trauma-informed training.
Chief executive Katie Kempen said: “We’re proud to welcome so many dedicated staff and volunteers into Victim Support, and grateful to Citizens Advice for their partnership and care throughout this handover.
“Together, we’ve worked hard to ensure the service will continue to deliver high-quality support from day one.
“As we once again deliver this vital service, we look forward to building on its strong foundations to help every witness feel safer, more confident, and better prepared for court.”
Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones said: “Witnesses are so important to our justice system, and their courage to step forward in court is crucial to bringing perpetrators to justice.
“That’s why we’re investing in Victim Support to deliver the witness service – providing invaluable support to witnesses in every criminal court.
“This is part of our record £550m commitment over the next three years – another crucial step towards delivering swifter justice for all victims and halving violence against women and girls in a decade.”
